Celebrating traditional history and heritatge during Native American Week

A number of schools and communities in the area are taking a special look into the area’s unique Native American history and culture for Native American Week this week, with some schools taking time in the classroom and others holding events with speakers and presentations celebrating the history of Native Americans.

Rocky Boy’s Indian Community is hosting a number of events throughout the week.

A Hand Drum Contest will be held today at Veterans Park from 3 to 4 p.m.

Thursday, a traditional soup contest will be held by the Chippewa Cree Tribal Wellness Coalition from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by a bow and arrow shooting contest at the agency baseball field at 2 p.m.

Friday, at Northern Winz Hotel and Casino an Honor Our Legacy Fashion Show will run from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at Northern Winz an Indian Relay race will be held.

For the Fort Belknap area school, Harlem, Dodson, Hays/Lodge Pole, Mission and White Clay schools will hold a number of events scheduled throughout the week ending in a powwow Thursday starting at 10 a.m.

Today, Harlem High School will be hosting a buffalo hunt followed by a Native American Week Documentary Film Festival at 7 p.m.

Tuesday and Wednesday, students will learn traditional arts and crafts as well as traditional games. A talent show will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. for grades kindergarten to 12th, and Wednesday at Hays/Lodgepole the tribe will be hosting a round dance at 7 p.m.

In Havre, Highland Park Early Primary School Principal Mark Irvin said the school will hold a few different events throughout the week to celebrate Native American history. He added that the school will also set up a teepee front of the school, in which they will be provide tours to their students and go over how the teepee is set up.

Irvin said that local historian Jim Magera will also be coming to the school to give a presentation to the students, sharing stories and the local history of the Native American tribes in the area.

Friday, Irvin added, a ranger from Bear Paw Battlefield will also come and have an artifact presentation for the students.

Students will also be learning Native American history and artwork while in the classrooms, he said.

Havre High School Principal Ed Norman said the high school is also doing a number of events for the students. He added that the school normally has a larger event during Native American History Month in November.

He said that the high school will have a display this week in the north foyer to showcase some historic Native American people from around the state, which was provided by the state Office of Public Instruction.

Norman said that during physical education classes the school may also incorporate some traditional Native American games. He added that later in the week the school will also have a presentation and a number of other activities and events for students.

Sunnyside Intermediate School principal Carmen Lunak said that Sunnyside will have a number of activities and presentations for students with all of the school’s classes. She added that the music teacher at the school is also giving lessons to students on traditional Native American drums.

“It’s a very nice opportunity for all of our students,” she said.

Other schools including Chinook Public Schools, Chester-Joplin-Inverness schools and Montana State University-Northern will have events, but no other information was available about the events as of print deadline this morning.